*Hamizah Sahharon, Jusang Bolong, Siti Zobidah Omar

Abstract:

Promoting unity among Malaysia’s diverse communities relies heavily on social cohesion, an ongoing challenge that requires continuous nurturing and adaptation. One initiative in Malaysia aimed at using social media to bridge cultural divides is the 1Malaysia Wireless Village Project. This project enhances social cohesion and digital unity by enabling locals to engage in conversations and voice concerns about their communities. Hence, this study explores the dynamics of social cohesion, with a particular focus on the moderating effect of social groups, specifically in-groups and out-groups, on Facebook functionality usage among rural youths. The in-group comprises individuals with shared cultural backgrounds residing in the same demographic, while the out-group encompasses those with whom the person has no affiliation or identification. A quantitative approach was employed in this study, involving 300 rural youths aged 15 to 40 from six 1Malaysia Wireless Villages.

Keywords: Facebook functionality usage, social group, social cohesion, virtual community, social identity, sense of belonging